Children's Home run by J & R Care Limited in Kent

Inspection report children’s home: SC065684 1 SC065684 Registered provider: J & R Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to six children. The organisation also runs a registered school, which is located within the grounds of the home. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 September 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC065684 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/06/2017 Full Good 23/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 02/08/2016 Full Good 21/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC065684 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard 11.—(1) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— (a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and (c) positive responses to other children and adults. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— (a)(iv) help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, help children to develop positive strategies to reduce conflict between them. 31/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all fire alarm and fire safety equipment checks and fire drills are undertaken regularly. 31/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 31/10/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC065684 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make very good progress in all aspects of their lives. One child said, ‘I now behave better, I get on well with staff and I am doing well at school. I feel really proud of what I have achieved.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Dedicated and caring staff work tirelessly to form and maintain positive relationships with children. Children learn to trust the adults caring for them. Children open up about their worries and experiences, because they know that they can rely on the staff to support them unconditionally. Children’s lives stabilise as a result. A social worker commented about one child, ‘Before moving here, they experienced several placement breakdowns. Living here is the most stable they have ever been.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is given a high priority. Without exception, children who were previously not accessing education quickly return to school. Children’s school and college attendance is excellent. They achieve exceptionally well from their starting points. Children develop aspirations for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s physical and emotional health improves while living in this home. A child said, ‘When I came to live here, I was chubby. Now, I am thin because I am active and healthy. I feel good.’ Engagement with the home’s psychotherapist has helped some children to work through past experiences, with a resulting positive impact on their emotional well-being and functioning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to become active members of their community. Some children do voluntary work and others join sports clubs and groups such as cadets. Children recently enjoyed a holiday in Devon. They had fun and participated in a range of activities which were new for them. This gave them a real sense of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children value the support that they receive from staff to maintain or enhance their relationships with family members and those important to them. A child said, ‘My relationship with my family has improved. I now see them every weekend.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

High staffing ratios and the positive relationships that they have developed help to keep children safe and prevent them from going missing. A child said, ‘It feels safe because the staff care about us and there is always someone here I can talk to.’ Although some children have a history of going missing, there have been no incidents of children going missing since the last inspection over a year ago.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff understand and strictly follow safeguarding procedures. Because of the prompt reporting and actions of the manager, in consultation with the designated officer, when allegations were made by a child, all children were safeguarded throughout the Inspection report children’s home: SC065684 5 investigation process and beyond.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Proactive behaviour support systems are effective. Rewards and praise motivate children. The use of physical intervention decreases as children get to know staff, learn to trust staff and develop an understanding of the rules, boundaries and routines in the home. A child commented, ‘I used to cause lots of damage and get restrained a lot. Now, because the staff helped me, I do not cause damage and do not get restrained.’ A restraint reduction plan, which children were consulted on and which the manager monitors closely, is having a positive effect on the quality of behaviour management practice.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safe recruitment practices help to ensure that only those adults who are suitable to work with children are employed in the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Although some bullying and physical altercations occur between children, children report feeling safer because staff intervene when such incidents occur. However, there is a lack of evidence in respect of the help and support being given to children, via key work or group work, to help them to develop the skills to resolve conflicts with peers more positively and without harm to anyone.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The home is a physically safe environment, as confirmed in a recent fire risk assessment. Nevertheless, more regular fire alarm and fire safety equipment checks and fire drills would reduce risk further in relation to fire safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A passionate and aspirational manager leads the home well. He knows each child very well and is ambitious for them. He leads by example and is respected by children and staff alike. Staff share his vision and commitment to improving experiences and outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is reflective and insightful. He understands the strengths and development needs of the home. He has responded to the requirements and recommendations set at the last inspection. He monitors children’s progress and outcomes. He learns from experiences and feedback from others. The manager uses both internal and external quality assurance reports to drive improvements. He has clear plans to continually improve the service and the lives of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is strong. Without exception, every professional and parent spoken to during the inspection reported good levels of communication and positive working relationships between them, the manager and the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff vacancies have recently been filled. New staff are settling into their roles and they have undertaken a range of mandatory and additional training, which has helped them to develop the insight and skills required to meet the specific needs of children living in the home. Recent training in relation to criminal exploitation, gang affiliation and county Inspection report children’s home: SC065684 6 lines has made staff alert to emerging risks that children could be vulnerable to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although staff report feeling well supported, some do not receive regular, good-quality formal supervision. This limits the manager’s oversight of staff performance and it is a missed opportunity for staff to reflect on and to develop their practice.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC065684 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: J & R Care, Ash House South, Ash Road, New Ash Green, Longfield, Kent DA3 8JF

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Inspector

Rachel Griffiths: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC065684 8 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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